Monthly Archives: March 2019

So today is National Poetry Day. Last year I posted a poem I wrote for more or less the same occasion – you can read it here. And for today I am posting this – inspired by a conversation Significant Other and I had during our recent trip to Italy. Are we not deep? Shall I send it to the New Yorker?

For St. Patrick’s Day, another memory from last year’s trip to Ireland: a visit to Molly Gallivan’s, a cottage, shop, farm and restaurant in County Kerry. It overlooks the Sheen Valley – what absolutely stunning views. But what was so charming was the history of the place (click the link above), and the “poitin” we drank. Poitin is a kind of local potato whiskey – moonshine, I guess. The Irish call it “mountain dew” (not the pop), and Molly Gallivan’s owner, Stephen O’Sullivan (photo below) gave us a talk about its history, before pouring us each a glass. It hit the spot, that’s for sure.

For St. Patrick’s Day, here is a photo from my trip to Ireland last year: it’s Maureen O’Hara’s house on Bantry Bay! (She doesn’t live there now, obviously, as she is dead.) FYI, The Quiet Man is on TCM tonight – you are a fool if you don’t watch it (or at least tape it to watch it later). And if you don’t get TCM and/or haven’t seen The Quiet Man, purchase/rent the film, pronto.

He would have been 100 today. What a voice – what a talent. I always remember my father pontificating on the great (non-operatic) voices of the 20th century – Sinatra, Vic Damone and Nat King Cole. This song is one of my favourites.

And when thou hast learned to spell my name correctly! This is a photograph I took in Florence, Italy, recently, and it is an “Elizabeth Barrett Browning lived here” plaque, with some poetic writing about her-heart-of-a-woman, et cetera. That said, it spells her second name incorrectly – without a double T. Doppia T, Italians!

What I love about it, as a student of the Italian language, is the use of the passato remoto and the imperfect. I took a translation course in Italy in February and it was really hard to get the hang of when to use those two together.

It’s really not hard to get to the bottom of this: When you say that Jews have magical hypnotic powers to control other people, you’re an anti-Semite. When you say Jews control other people through money, you’re an anti-Semite. When you say Jews have conspired to force you to apologize for saying anti-Semitic things, you’re an anti-Semite. ­Ilhan Omar is an anti-Semite.

Yeah, she is. As I have written before on this site, I am related to anti-Semites and watching the Democrats twist and turn to avoid calling a bigot a bigot reminds me so much of all of the apologists in my family. Very sad. Yet another area where I miss my oldest brother, who was always clear and true on these matters.

George Harrison’s birthday – what would have been his 76th – was last week (February 25th). I am of the view, perhaps an unpopular one, that he was the best Beatle. (Another of my unpopular views is that the Monkees were better than the Beatles – and, of course, dear Peter Tork passed in February, bless him.) At the very least, I would say that “All Things Must Pass” is better than everything John Lennon and Paul McCartney did as solo acts combined. In tribute, here is a video of “What is Life,” one of my go-to songs when I’m blue.

As Harrison never made a video for this song, his widow and son held a contest (after George’s death) for one to be made. This is what they selected and I find it wonderful. It is joyful with tinges of melancholy and confusion, as is the song. Hats off to the dancers!